2GW Ilocos wind project clears grid study hurdle

Buhawind Energy Northern Luzon Corp. (BENLC), a joint venture between Yuchengco-led PetroGreen Energy Corp. (PGEC) and Danish renewable energy firm Copenhagen Energy, kicked off the technical process to connect its 2,000-megawatt offshore wind project in Ilocos Norte to the national grid. 

The company confirmed on Tuesday that the transmission operator, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), approved the Facilities Study (FS) last month. 

The FS outlines the detailed technical requirements for the safe integration of the Northern Luzon Offshore Wind Power Project into the grid. These include specifications for substation components, control systems, transformer configurations, and protection relay settings. 

The connection point for the project is NGCP’s planned 500 kV Burgos Substation, which must be completed before the project can be energized.

“NGCP’s study and evaluation of the grid connection requirements put BENLC in a position to design and deliver power infrastructure that not only meets the highest technical standards but also contributes meaningfully to the Department of Energy’s agenda of increasing the country’s power supply and accelerating our transition to clean energy,” PGEC Vice President for Technical Operations Paul Elmer C. Morala said. 

Morala said the company is also in talks with the Philippine Ports Authority to potentially develop Port Currimao to support offshore wind operations.

Aside from BENLC, the port could serve as a hub for at least 10 other offshore wind projects in northern Philippines.

With an offshore wind potential estimated at over 178 gigawatts (GW), and 92 service contracts already awarded, representing more than 65 GW as of June, the government seeks to position offshore wind development as a key driver in meeting its renewable energy targets of 35 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040.